Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunny Xita’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Sunny Xita’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with oblanceolate-shaped ray florets that are purple in color; and have good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunny Xita’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunny Xita’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Odense, Denmark. The objective of the program is to create and develop new Osteospermum cultivars with compact and uniformly mounded plant habit, freely flowering habit and attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor in May, 2004 of the Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sunny Serena, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,693, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 20.001.02, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Odense, Denmark in June 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Odense, Denmark since January, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sunny Xita has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunny Xita’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunny Xita’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with oblanceolate-shaped ray         florets that are purple in color.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Sunny Serena, primarily in ray floret color as plants of the cultivar Sunny Serena have salmon-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in ray floret color as plants of the male parent selection have pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum cultivar Sunny Fiona, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/821,112. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Odense, Denmark, plants of the new Osteospermum differed primarily from plants of the cultivar Sunny Fiona in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the cultivar Sunny Fiona are deep pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum. This photographs shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunny Xita’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Sunny Xita’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Odense, Denmark during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranges from 14° C. to 20° C., night temperatures averaged 14° C. and light levels ranged from 200 to 800 watts per square meter. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were about 15 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical Classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sunny Xita. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar             Sunny Serena, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,693.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 20.001.02,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at 18° C.             to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About three weeks             at 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About four weeks             at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant Description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact and mounded plant habit.             Inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane.             Low to moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20.1 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 23.5 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching,             about five primary lateral branches per plant. Length: About             11 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple,             sessile. Length: About 6.7 cm. Width: About 3.7 cm. Shape:             Obovate to spatulate. Apex: Rounded to broadly acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Dentate; coarse, irregular. Texture, upper             and lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; leathery; moderately             dense pubescence along the leaf margins. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 141A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: 143A. Fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: Between 137A and 147A; venation,             144A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Between 137B             and 146A; venation, 144A to 144B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with             oblanceolate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences positioned             above and beyond the foliage; inflorescences terminal and             axillary. Disc and ray florets developing acropetally on a             capitulum. Inflorescences face mostly upright to outward.             Freely flowering habit; about 48 inflorescences develop per             plant. Inflorescences not persistent. Inflorescences not             fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—In northern Europe, plants of the new             Osteospermum flower continuously from spring to late summer.             Early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about eight             weeks after pinching. Inflorescences last about two weeks on             the plant.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Color: 143A; towards the apex,             187A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.7 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.9 cm. Disc diameter: About 6 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 1.2 mm. Receptacle height: About 7 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous; at the base, pubescent. Number of             ray florets per inflorescence: About 16 in about two whorls.             Color: When opening, upper surface: N79C; towards the base,             slightly darker than N79C. When opening, lower surface: 162A             to 162B flushed with N77D; venation N77A to N79B. Fully             opened, upper surface: 77C; towards the base, more violet             than N82B. With development, color becoming closer to 75A             flushed with 77B. Fully opened, lower surface: 4C flushed             with N77D.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.             Length: About 6 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2.5 mm. Diameter,             base: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:             About 100. Color: Immature: Close to 145D. Mature: Apex,             161C; mid-section and base, 161D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 14 in a single             whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate, elongated. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             pubescent. Color, upper surface: 138B to 138C. Color, lower             surface: 141A to 141B; towards the margins, 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 6.7 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 9.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect, terminal peduncles: Mostly             upright. Aspect, axillary peduncles: About 30° from             vertical. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Close to 202A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: 21A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.             Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate. Stigma             color: N77A. Style length: About 3.5 mm. Style color: N186C.             Ovary color: 145A.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Osteospermum. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind     and temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunny Xita’ as illustrated and described. 